Possible Opportunity But I Need Help!

[jlspl150]

So i would like to ask for any helpful information possible. Please no negative responses i just need some realistic help. Here is my situation...I have become good friends with 3 gentleman who are fairly wealthy landowners here in virginia.For over ten years these guys have had a dream to own their own planes and employee a private pilot. They just have never had someone in their circle theyd trust. They are fairly country (in a god way!) kind of people who are very loyal and keep a small group of friends. I am significantly younger than them and am the only one who does not drink alcohol. As they consume quite a bit! Anyways they have approached me to research getting my pilots license and all the information needed for them to get a plane as well, or a few.
They want to employ me and pay for all of my schooling and training. So here are my questions....
1) Ive read u need to have a commercial license to be paid for flying, but can i be employed by them for other reasons and still be their pilot? if that makes sense....
2) Is this type of operation common? Plane owners who have other people as their pilots?
3) What are ideas or roadblocks for this?
4) they would like a 6seat plane, 5 passengers,longest trip would be va to FL keys and the second part, are pressurized small planes more quiet and comfortable for them? they are 54-72yrs old. theyve flown in kingairs and enjoyed them. and in smaller planes and did not enjoy.
5) Are any of these small planes able to land in a prepared field?
6) budget could be anywhere from 200,000 to 1,000,000 depending on yearly expense and capability of plane
7)ive looked at the cirrus vision and this appears to be the plane id think of and is there anything already out that is similar to this size that isnt a jet possibly.

I knw this isnt the best set of questions but its very hard to get quality info on the web about this. This is just a start. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you very much for any support

[tazmaniac0350]

if you dont have any experience as a pilot it will take years to get to where you need to be safely and just real world experience. maybe they can hire a commercial pilot and pay for your lessons then you fly with the other pilot for say a few years or until you get profient enough. jst me thoughts

[Dantilla]

Once you have the Private Pilot license, getting a Commercial rating is pretty easy. Plenty of guys get it just because. It is mostly the same as a Private, but held to higher standards.

Insurance will be a problem for a low-time pilot to fly complex airplanes in a commercial setting. You may not be able to acquire insurance for this without an Insturment rating.

Sounds like fun, but go into this with both eyes wide open, find out the insurance requirements, and let the old guys know just how much cash this is going to take.

Plenty of airplanes are perfectly happy flying off grass strips.

[ajw22]

You need to go to one of your local airports and find a Flight Instructor to sit down and talk with about this. At the end you will learn that it will take you a few years to get your private, commercial, and instrument ratings and enough experience to safely pilot a King Air class plane on your own. If the owners eventually want you to be their pilot then they can buy a plane and hire a commercial pilot who can fly them with you as co-pilot in the right seat. The hired pilot can give you lessons and take you through your training.

There are many owners of aircraft who are not pilots. They hire pilots to manage their aircraft. Go around your local airports and talk with folks and you will find professionals who do this for a living to help you.